Currently, there is no known wide-area, permanently deployed capability for detecting or tracking chemical attacks on the United States or other nations. Under these conditions, there can be little notice or warning of such an attack nor ability to track the spread of a cloud of the attack agent(s). A system capable of providing warning and tracking for mass attacks by detecting the release, dispersion, and drift of a chemical cloud is however believed technically feasible. Such a system can provide warning from the time of release until an attack agent cloud disperses to the point of no longer posing a threat. Current events demonstrate the need for a capability for detecting such an attack and tracking it, at a level of capability above merely following the progress of the attack by monitoring those who have been affected. While no one presently available technology can provide the capability for such warning and tracking, a combination of remote sensors, some of which can provide response to both chemical and biological agents, can provide a high degree of confidence, specificity, and sensitivity so that a space-based system can effectively function as an attack early-warning system. The present invention is believed to provide a significant part of such a system.
As may now be or subsequently become apparent herein the word “agent” may appear in two differing contexts with respect to the present invention; the first of these contexts, as may be appreciated from the above recited invention title for example, relates to the building blocks appearing in portions of the disclosed chemical detection system architecture. The second context for this word “agent” of course relates to the chemically reactive material used by an enemy to inflict harm. Since the word “agent” appears to be proper and of current usage in each of these contexts and appears unlikely to cause reading or interpretation confusion no effort to substitute a less desirable synonym is made in this description.